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Panel to consider subpoenaing board that OK'd armed school staff

Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — A legislative panel is scheduled to meet via conference call Thursday to consider issuing subpoenas to members of a state board that allowed some public schools to arm teachers and staff.

The House and Senate judiciary committees will consider subpoenaing members of the state Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies. The committees have asked the board to send someone to testify at two previous meetings this year, and on both occasions no one from the board has shown up.

After the second of those meetings, held Nov. 19, Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, said he planned to issue a subpoena requiring a representative of the board to appear before the panel.

The board voted Sept. 11 to allow up to 13 Arkansas school districts, but no others, to train teachers and staff to serve as armed security guards. Members of the judiciary committees have said they want to hear an explanation of that decision.